Camber adjusting tool



Oct. 23, 195] F, NIELSEN CAMBER ADJUSTING TOOL Filed Jan. 31, 1947Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNIT E i STATES PAT E- or Free" QA HEIRAD I O LFrederik Nielsen, Quincy, Mass.

. Alllll qation ,1 anuary31, 194.7;.Seria1N0.-;7'25;529

2 Claims. 1;

This invention relates to mechanism for ad, justing the camberofkneeaction vehicle wheels and by which the knuckle may be deflected withoutdamage to anyeofrthe parts.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No.50-3;l84,'filed -Septem ber 21, 1943, for Camber Adjusting Tool, nowPatent No. 2,425,556 granted.jAugust;l2, 1947.

The present invention relates to such a mechanism which can be actuatedfrom a convenient position away from the knee, .,ac.tion, whereiit isfully accessible, and which is, particularly-suitable for pQweractuation,

For av complete understanding, of the mechanism, reference may behad'.,to,the accompanying drawingsin which Figure 1, is a fragmentary,perspective view showingthe mechanism embodyingthe invention inposition-for operation. I

Figure 2'is a perspective view showing a modified mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional view to a larger scale on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a further modification.

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views showing still furthermodifications.

In Figures 1 through 6 there is illustrated a camber adjusting mechanismwherein the bending of the knuckle support is accomplished by rocking aforked member which straddles the upper portion of the knuckle supportA. Referring first to Figures 1 and 3, a fork I may be provided with atubular or other type of handle 2 extending backwardly from the juncturebetween the branches of the fork and substantially parallel thereto, thebranches of the fork presenting free extremities spaced substantiallygreater than the thickness of the knuckle support to engage on oppositesides thereof at positions spaced therealong which forms a rock shaftand near its outer end it may be secured to a rectangular yoke member 3having an extension 4 journaled in a stand 5. An actuating bar 6 may bethrust through the yoke 3 and then turned so as to rock the shaft 2,causing the transverse jaws of the member I to so engage and applypressure to the upper portion of the knuckle support that this knucklesupport may be deflected from the solid line position shown in Figure 3to the dotted line position in which the desired adjustment has beeneffected. Where but a single pair of bending elements, such as thebranches of the fork I which is twisted thereagainst, is employed, thereis an unbalanced force tending to rock the axial member laterally of thevehicles Consequently, injFigure 1; means is,shown,'for' takingathethrust pressure exerted, on they upper; portion; ,of, the knuckle pportat a no. inju y 1 to other parts of. the mechanism may. result,., Inmany; cases, however, no such thrust-takings means may befound-necessary, This, thrusts.

taking means as shown. in, Figure 1, ,may. Como-- prisev a. secondfork,III straddling the-lowers Dor -l tion of the knuckle supportbeneath theknuckle;

abutmentscrew I]. Thus, as,,the..left.+hand;end

ofthe bar 6, assviewedriniEigure 1, is .,fo'reed,

downwardly, thelateral extension, lfigtendsto, be

depressed,, the; limit: of. such; depression ,b eing; fix d. by theiensesmentr f; thei c erw. I IL n ike:

floor or ground.

In Figure 2 a modification is shown in which the shaft 2 is providedwith a laterally extended arm I8 against which bears one end of ahydraulic power cylinder I 9, the other end of which engages a yokehooked under the arm I6 of the lower fork l0, both forks havingtrunnions journaled in a common stand 511. Admission of pressure to thecylinder I9 will act to rock the shaft 2 counterclockwise.

In Figures 4 and 5 arrangements of mechanism similar to that shown inFigure 1 are illustrated, but wherein the camber adjusting force isexerted by hydraulic mechanism as in Figure 2. Referring to Figure 4,the upper fork member 20 is provided at its rear end with a journal 2|which may engage in a selected one of a plurality of journal openings 22at the upper end of a strip 23, the journal 2| extending through avertical slot 24 in a stand 25 supported on the floor or ground. Asecond forked member 26 corresponding to the forked member ID shown inFigure 1, is provided with an outer journal 2! which also extendsthrough the slot 24 and is journaled in any one of the journal openings28 at the lowen end of the strip 23. The forked members 20 and 26 areprovided with lateral arms 30 and 3|, respectively, and means areprovided by which these fork members are rocked in opposite directionsto produce the camber adjustment.

In Figure 4 an arrangement is shown by which the upper fork member 20 isturned counterclockwise viewed from its outer end and the lower member26 is turned clockwise. For this purpose a hydraulic cylinder 32 havingits piston Icarriedthereby, and resting in iai. notc h ,l 2 in theuppenpqrtionrof astandIEi-i The fork Ifljisprovidedfwithaulaterali extensionI6 through which may be passedvan;

bearing against the under face of the arm 3| is supported by a loopmember 33 which passes over the outer end of the arm 30. When thehydraulic mechanism 32 is expanded, the arm 34 is forced upwardly andthe loop 33 is lowered, forcing the arm 30 downwardly. Thus the desiredrelative rocking action of the two forks is accomplished.

In Figure 5 an arrangement is shown by which the upper fork member isrocked clockwise and the lower forked member rocked counterclockwise. Inthis arrangement the hydraulic cylinder mechanism 31 is arrangeddirectly between the upper arm 30 and the lower arm 3| so that when itis expanded the upper arm is rocked upwardly and the lower arm rockeddownwardly. It should be understood, however, that this motion isrelative. Commonly the upper arm would have the larger motion becausethe camber adjustment takes place in the upper-portion of the knucklesupport.

In Figure 6 a modification is shown in which the shank portions 40 of apair of forks 4|, the outer ends of which are journaled in a link 42,are provided with arms 43 between the outer ends of which is carried ahydraulic cylinder 44. The forked inner end portions are spaced apart toengage against lengthwise spaced portions of the knee action support ofthe knuckle. Separation of the outer ends of the arms 43 by theintroduction of pressure into the cylinder 44 will act to twist theforks 4| in opposite directions and thus produce the desired bendingaction on the knuckle support which is engaged between these forks.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention,it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various otherchanges and modifications might be made without departing from thespirit or scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a pair of elongatedmembers each having a forked extremity, the branches of the forkextending substantially parallel to the length of its member and spacedto straddle the knuckle support of a knee action mechanism, the pair ofmembers being spaced lengthwise of said support, and means for turningsaid members relatively about axes lengthwise thereof in oppositedirections.

2. A mechanism of the class described, comprising a pair of elongatedmembers each ,having a forked extremity, the branches of the forkextending substantially parallel to the lengtli of its member and spacedto straddle the knuckle support of a knee action mechanism, an armsecured to each of said members spaced from said forks, and meansengaging said arms for turning said members relatively about theirrespective lengthwise axes in opposite directions.

FREDERIK NIELSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,424,178 Noyes Aug. 1, 19221,818,678 Bennett Aug. 11, 1931 1,818,679 Bennett Aug. 11, 19311,914,827 Hammerich June 20, 1933 2,165,503 Pfauser July 11, 19392,263,628 Hinton Nov. 25, 1941 2,313,720 Blackwell Mar. 16, 19432,365,731 Simons Dec. 26, 1944 2,431,291 Wochner Nov. 18, 1947 2,462,403Jungst Feb; 22, 1949

